Look at the guns on Matt Barkley! This is a “kid” who is still supposed to be in high school! The USC Trojan Freshman Gunslinger.
So many times you hear about freshman quarterbacks that are highly recruited and promise to be the next superstar, but when you first see them on a college football field you cringe – because they look like a high-schooler on a college football field. USC Trojan Matt Barkley is not that guy. He looks like a man amongst men the same way Lebron James did coming out of high school into the NBA. He may not have played like a man from day one, but you could see from day one he soon would, and damn it wasn’t long before he did. Matt Barkley is that guy – and we’re probably going to get to see this for ourselves full time before too long for the USC Trojans.
Pete Carroll has sung high praises for Barkley, including several quotes from spring practice and the Trojans spring game:
““I’m really surprised that he is able to handle the stuff as well as he is handling it. You can see that he has the ability to make plays. That’s a big positive for him. We haven’t seen a freshman able to do this in all of the years.” – Pete Carroll
“He just continues to be comfortable in the situation where most guys have never been able to be this comfortable this early,” Carroll said. “It’s giving him a chance to compete for this job. He has not taken a step backwards at any time. And normally the freshman guys do.” – Pete Carroll
And the praise goes on and on from Coach Carroll. But third year sophomore Aaron Corp is the leader for the starting spot right now, with experience being his ace in the hole. It’s his third year with the trojans, and he’s been expected to be the replacement for Sanchez, but that was before Matt Barkley showed up.
Not Afraid To Chuck It Downfield
He’s been touted as a gunslinger, a la Brett Favre, but with good decision-making abilities to boot. Call him willing to take calculated risks. More than willing. He’s won every award there is to win in high school, has set tons and tons of records, and has even been touted as a future number one draft choice in the NFL by Mel Kiper Jr, before ever having started a single game in college ball! Yes, folks – this kid is really that good.
So what do you do if you’re Pete Carroll? You giggle like a schoolgirl at the choices you have at Quarterback. But the pressure is huge to win every game and a national title at USC, and Carroll will definitely go with the guy who gives him the best chance to win the next game – and for now, that’s Aaron Corp. But stay tuned, because Barkley is within reach of that starting spot, and a few months, or maybe even one season on the bench, could put him ahead for good.
If I were Aaron Corp, I’d be hoping and praying I avoided injury, because you know Pete Carroll is begging for an excuse to put Barkley on the field. And if Barkley performs, be damned the idea of not losing your starting job due to injury – because he’s not taking Barkley out unless he has to – and he’s Pete Carroll – he doesn’t have to.
Loading ...